PR Stuff

‘Rising More Slowly’ is the debut solo album from Leem. Drawing on a broad range of influences, the album is a journey through genres and moods in a desire not to be pigeon-holed.

The eponymous track dovetails the record. In its first ‘intro’ form it is a haunting piano ballad, but as the album closer the piano melody is twisted and pitch-shifted to make a paranoid jubilant ending. ‘Bite The Hand’, ‘Amen’ and ‘Something Happened to Me’ are more nuanced blissed out journeys of old sampled records whilst ‘Closer’ provides a more brittle and stark take on electro.

In his own words, “A year ago whilst on tour with Duologue in the USA, and just finishing off demos for this album, I fell ill. What was initially a case of man-flu turned out to be bone marrow cancer. It has been a year of treatment and I have just received the stem cells of an unknown donor who has given me a second chance. This music is a reflection on the journey I have been on physically, emotionally and musically through that time. Much was written before this all happened, but when compiled it all felt eerily prophetic as many of the titles were already decided.”

“I can’t bake and am in no fit state to run a marathon, so I decided something that people could have and share would help me raise awareness of Bone Marrow Donation, its ease and the need with a diversifying population to get as many different people signed up as possible.”

All proceeds will go to the chosen charities The Anthony Nolan Trust, Leukaemia & Lymphoma Unit, Afro-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust. The album is initially on sale for what you can donate on the Leem website and then through digital networks from Christmas.